Golgi in retrospect: A historiographic examination of contextual influence in tracing the constructs of neuronal organization

Abstract

The concepts underlying the connectivity of neurons and the dynamics of interaction required to explain information processing have undergone significant change over the past century. A re-examination of the evolution of the modern view in historical context reveals that rules for connectivity have changed in a manner that might be expected from critical analysis enabled by technical advance. A retrospective examination of some germane issues that moved Camillo Golgi to question the widely held dogma of his era reveals network principles that could not have been recognized a century ago. The currently evolving rules of cellular discontinuity and interaction have proven sufficiently complex to justify the arguments of critical skepticism that sustain scientific progress.